Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #210503 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Synopsis
Burke and Hare were infamous suppliers of corpses to the Edinburgh medical establishment in a reign of terror 1827-8. History remembers them as body snatchers, but there is no proof that the pair ever robbed a grave; instead they created fresh corpses by suffocating hand-picked victims. This is just one of the myths exploded by this 'bloody history' featuring trial reports, confessions, prison records and contemporary illustrations. A rich cast of characters includes the pairs' implicated lovers, Helen and Margaret; Professor Knox who received the bodies; and, local victims from 'Daft Jamie' to ageing prostitute Mary Haldane. New light is thrown on the bodies trade through a recent find at The National Archives: a confession from John Bishop - perhaps a copycat 'burker' - who with Thomas Williams was executed for the murder of the 'Italian boy' in 1831.

Customer Reviews

Body Snatchers? A Myth Destroyed!
This small, but perfectly formed, book dispells the myth that these 2 notorious criminals were body snatchers. They were, in fact, cold-blooded murderers, who saw an opportunity to finance their hard drinking by selling their victims to a local school for anatomy - the head honcho of this institution being the equally notorious Doctor Knox. Knox turned a well-educated blind eye to the goings on, as long as their was a fresh body for his classes. The book packs in a lot; it paints a bleak picture of life in Edinburgh for the poor and working classes, especially the life surrounding Burke and Hare and their victims. These two come out of the book as thoroughly evil and blackhearted specimens. It would be telling to reveal the outcome of these truly vicious men - but you will be surprised, angered and then sigh with relief as poetic justice is seen to be done!